


The Barking Dog Winery: Lost In The Woods

by Debi_C



Series: The Barking Dog Winery [1]
Category: Stargate Atlantis, Stargate SG-1
Genre: Adventure, Alternate Reality, Established Relationship, M/M, Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-09-04
Updated: 2011-09-04
Packaged: 2017-10-23 09:59:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,082
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/249074
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Debi_C/pseuds/Debi_C
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Autumn and Wynter O'Neill try to go visiting.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Barking Dog Winery: Lost In The Woods

**Author's Note:**

  * For [pinkdiamonds](https://archiveofourown.org/users/pinkdiamonds/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Autumn and Wynter: A Barking Dog Winery Story](https://archiveofourown.org/works/233174) by [pinkdiamonds](https://archiveofourown.org/users/pinkdiamonds/pseuds/pinkdiamonds). 



Jack and Daniel had spent a lazy Sunday morning in bed talking of the next grape season and making casual plans for Autumn and Wynter’s schooling. The two little girls had fit right into their lives making them a true family. Their education was very important to the two men, as well as having a strong family experience.

Surprisingly their morning love making hadn’t been interrupted by their daughters. Usually, by nine o’clock they were scurrying around the house with Max the dog, giggling and playing at housework to surprise their dads.

Jack took the first shower and dressed in a t-shirt and worn jeans. It was early fall and the mornings were still warm. After straightening the covers, Daniel headed for his shower. Jack gave his lover’s bare ass a light slap in passing.

“Hey…” The younger man stopped and gave him a surprised look.

“Hey yourself. Some things are just too good to let go.” He laughed. “I’m gonna go start breakfast then check on the girls. Maybe they’re still asleep.”

“Not likely… but you never know.” Daniel picked up Jack’s damp towel from where he had left it on the bed. “I’ll be down in a minute.”

Jack went down to the large sunny kitchen and put a large skillet on to heat. He then pulled the thick sliced bacon, eggs and butter out of the refrigerator. After the skillet was hot enough he laid the meat on to fry. He put a grease screen over it and went out into the living room. The girls were nowhere to be seen. He checked the front porch. No luck.

“Autumn, Wynter. I’m cooking breakfast.”

Jack ducked back into the kitchen to check on the frying bacon only to find Daniel, fully dressed in a cream colored button down shirt and tan Dockers was at the stove turning the meat over.

“Jack, what are you trying to do, burn the house down?” The younger man shook his head at his partner’s apparent carelessness.

“I can’t find the girls.” Jack explained worriedly. “I’m going to check their room.”

“Check the tower too.” Daniel called after him. “They may be playing up there in their lair.”

A quick check of both rooms revealed two made up beds and a semi-neat playroom but no children. He came barreling down the staircase and back into the kitchen. “They’re gone!”

Daniel took the skillet off the stove and turned off the heat. “Maybe they went to the tasting room or the gazebo. It’s a pretty morning. Maxi’s not here either that I can tell. She’s probably with the girls.” he added referring to their Bernese Mountain Dog.

Jack went to the house’s kitchen door that led to the winery and the vineyard and stopped. “Daniel have you opened this door today?”

“No,” Daniel came over to Jack’s side. “And I know I locked it last night.”

The older man pushed it open grimly. “Its not even fully closed.”

Daniel put a hand on his lover’s shoulder. “Jack, calm down. I’m sure they’re alright.”

“I sure hope so.” He examined the door. “At least there are no marks on it. No one broke in.”

“Maxi would have barked the house down.” the younger man reassured him. “C’mon, let’s go find the little stinkers.”

The two men walked swiftly to the tasting house. Nicola and Billy were both there. “Have you seen the girls this morning?” Jack asked worriedly.

“No, I’ve been doing paperwork and Billy was cleaning the Wisteria Room.” The young Italian woman answered.

Billy had just sat down at the table with a bottle of cold water. “I’ve been cleaning up after last night’s party, Mr. O’Neill. They aren’t out there.”

Nicola immediately stood up to come to the two men. “You haven’t seen them at all this morning?”

“No,” Daniel answered. “We slept in. We never heard a sound from them.”

Jack frowned. “I started breakfast, and then called them. I went up to their rooms but they’re nowhere to be found.” He shook his head. “The only thing unusual was the kitchen door was open just a hair.”

Billy put his water down. “You don’t think they were kidnapped, do you? There’s no way anyone could get by your dog.” He shook his head. “Max would eat them.”

Daniel smiled grimly. “Max is gone too.”

8-0

Autumn and Wynter had stopped to eat their granola bars from their backpacks. “So,” Wynter looked at her twin. “Are you sure we’re headed the right way?”

“Of course,” the older girl replied primly “I looked it up on the internet. “It’s to the east, five miles as the crow flies.”

“It feels like we’ve walked ten miles already.” Wynter complained as she gave her last bite of bar to the big tri-colored dog. “And Max is not supposed to be with us. Dad will be worried about her. We should have left them a note.”

“Yeah, but they’d never let us come by ourselves. And if Max hadn’t been here those cows would have attacked us. She protected us from them and made them run off.” Autumn sighed. “They’d have said no today, just like they did yesterday and the day before.”

She stood up and dusted her jean clad butt off. Wynter pulled one of her boots off and dumped a pretend rock out before pulling it back on. “I think this is going to be too far. My feet hurt and I’m tired.”

“Yeah, but we’ll be there soon.” her elder twin assured her.

8-|

As Nicola and Billy started looking, Teal’c arrived and he joined the search.

“I’m going to call the sheriff.” Jack was adamant.

“No, not yet.” Daniel stopped him. “Let’s look around some more. We haven’t seen any thing wrong. They may have just wandered off exploring.” He managed to give Jack a reassuring grin. “They are O’Neill’s after all.”

Jack frowned. “If something’s happened to them, there will be hell to pay.” Then a look came over his face. “I have an idea. I’m gonna call John and Rodney.”

The younger man looked confused. “Why?”

“I’m going to have them bring Bella over. She’s a Beagle. She’s a scent hound.”

“But, she’s not trained.” Daniel protested.

“I bet she’ll follow Max’s scent though.” Jack replied as he hurriedly dialed the number to the horse farm.

8-)

John, Rodney and Bella arrived less than thirty minutes after the call. Jack filled them both in on what had happened and why the Beagle had been asked for.

“Jack, I’m willing to do anything to get the girls back.” John replied quickly. “I just hope my little girl is up to the job.”

Rodney was busy putting Bella’s harness on with a leash. “She can do it. Bella is a genius! Aren’t you girl?” the small brown and white dog barked happily at his enthusiasm. “C’mon, let’s go show them.”

Jack and Daniel let the other two men and their little dog to Max’s bed. Bella sniffed around interestedly as if looking for her pal.

“Bella, find Max.” John commanded enthusiastically. “Where’s Max?”

She looked up at her boss and wagged her tail.

“Come on baby”. Rodney exhorted her. “Where’s Max?”

Bella barked.

Everyone looked at the dog.

“Wait a minute, wait a minute.” Rodney said suddenly snapping his fingers together several times. “There’s too much scent here. She needs to scout around. She just needs to find some clues.” He looked at Jack. “You said they left by the back door?”

“Yeah, we think so.” Jack replied catching on to what his friend was saying. “Let’s take her over there and see if that helps any.”

The four anxious men accompanied Bella to the back steps. Then John knelt down by his little pal. “Bella baby, you’ve got to find Max. She’s with the girls and they’re lost. Bella, find Max!” He stood up. “Come on girl. You can do it.”

The little Beagle looked up at her bosses and the other men and then dropped her nose to the ground and started to sniff. Bella worked around the steps, and then started towards the winery. But half way there she suddenly changed directions heading to the east side of the vineyards. She started pulling on her harness and made a little baying noise like she was trying to talk.

“That’s a girl, Bella.” Rodney encouraged. “Show them how smart you are.”

8-(

Wynter was very unhappy with her sister. They had been walking for several hours and she was suspicious that she’d seen the same trees several times. They’d even had to cross this huge river and got completely drenched when she stumbled in the mud and fell going totally underwater for a few seconds. If it hadn’t been for Max, she knew she would have drowned. The big dog had come to her rescue while her stinky twin had just laughed at her struggles.

“I’m tired, and I’m cold.” She complained. “And I have blisters.”

“You wanted to come as bad as I did.” Autumn sighed and sat down next to her. “You even said so this morning.”

“That was hours ago.” Winter returned. “And we’re still not there.” She pointed at the sun. “I think you’re wrong.”

“I’m not wrong.” the older twin assured her. “We looked it up on the computer and it said east. The sun rises in the east, so we’re going east.”

“Well, crap on that.” The tired girl retorted. “You’re wrong, The sun is wrong, the damned river is wrong and you’re wrong!”

“Then Daniel’s wrong.”

“Duh.” she grunted.

“And Rodney’s wrong.”

Autumn looked at her sister as if she’d grown another head. “Uncle Rodney is NEVER wrong.”  
8-{

 

“Come on Bella, don’t make me wrong.” Rodney encouraged the little dog that was casting about for a scent trail. She had been doing quite well until a small herd of black and white dairy cows had galloped past them stirring up the dirt and destroying the small tracks the men had been able to spot now and again.

“Damn it all to hell.” Daniel was raging under his breath. “Why did they spook?”

“Hey” John looked at him. “Something spooked them. Something unusual. Maybe it was the girls.”

Daniel looked at Jack who nodded. “It’s possible.”

About that time Bella started to earn her name again eagerly baying to the trail that she had previously lost. Rodney waived at the other three. “Come on, our genius girl has got it again.”

As they started following the dog another sound came out of the direction that the cows had run towards. A man about Jack’s age, wearing a baseball cap, plaid shirt and a pair of overalls drove up on an ATV. He stopped in between Rodney and the dog and the other three men.

“What the hell are you doing on my property, scaring my damned cows?” the farmer hollered at them. “They won’t give milk for a week thanks to you idiots.”

Jack stepped forward. “I’m Jack O’Neill from the Barking Dog Winery down the road. I’m sorry to be trespassing but my two little girls are missing. They’re twins, 10 years old, dark curly hair.”

“Taken or runaway?” The man asked suspiciously.

“We don’t know. They could have been taken, or maybe got lost.”

The man looked at him coldly. “Maybe they run away from the two queers that took ‘em in. Maybe they think you’re sinning in God’s eyes.” He looked at John and Rodney. “You two queers too?”

John stepped forward. “Now look old man. The only thing that matters is that two little girls are missing. I don’t particularly care about what you think of me, my partner or my friends. The only thing that matters is those two little girls damn it! ”

“Yeah, you nitwit.” Rodney yelled over the dogs baying. “Our dog has the scent and you’re holding us up.”

“Don’t worry. When we find them we won’t damage your ground or scare your cows.” Daniel growled at him. “We’ll take the road, but right now the trail is here.”

“Well, hurry up and do what you gotta do and get off my land.” He put the ATV in gear and started to drive off, then he stopped and looked back at the four men. “Well, hell. Good luck to ya. I hope you find your kids.” He then drove off in the direction his cattle had gone.

As soon as he drove off, Rodney gave the leash a little slack and Bella started off on the trail again. Jack, John and Daniel followed quickly.

Jack turned to his friend. “Who the hell was that?”

“That’s old man Gibbs. He’s a cranky old bastard, a retired Marine I think. We had some problems over our property line when I bought my place. He’s never forgiven me for beating him in court.”

“Wait a minute,” Daniel put in. “He’s our neighbor?”

“Yeah, he owns all the property between my farm and your winery. We’re only about a mile from my place.”

“Then, then its okay?” Daniel looked confused. “The girls are probably safe?”

“I didn’t say that.” John shook his head. “There’s a pretty wide creek right up ahead. It’s not real deep, but it’s marshy and the footing is treacherous if you don’t know what you’re doing and it will be harder for Bella to hold the trail.”

As the little group continued to follow Bella, Jack heard another familiar sound. A dog was barking back and he recognized his dog’s loud voice. “That’s them. That’s Max.”

All of them started to run, then about a quarter of a mile later John yelled at everyone to stop.

“Why? Why stop now?” Jack demanded.

“This is the beginning of the marsh I was telling you about.” he said indicating a wide stream in front of them. “We need to go slow here.” John answered him seriously. “I lost a really good mare in this. It’s easy to hit soft mud and get trapped.”

“So the girls…?” Daniel hesitated. “They could be hurt?”

“It’s possible, but probably only wet and miserable.” The other man replied with a grin. “they don’t weigh as much as we do. We’ll be the ones more likely to be hurt.”

The twins were getting ready to head out again when they heard a funny little noise in the air behind them, kind of like a dog’s bark but different. It was more like a short choppy howl. They looked at each other in confusion, until Max started to bark back and they knew who it had to be. “It’s Bella!” They cried together.

“With Uncle Rodney and Uncle John.” Autumn said.

“And both our dads too, I bet.” Wynter replied happily. “We’re safe.”

“We were never in any danger, silly.” Autumn commented.

“Says you…but I bet we’re still in trouble.”

“Why would we be in trouble?” her sister said calmly. “We were just going to visit Merlin and Tansy and the other horses.”

The girls began to hear Uncle Jack and the others calling their name. They looked at each other then shouted back.

Wynter looked at her sister’s torn and dirty clothes and then down at her own mud soaked outfit. “We’re in trouble.”

Autumn nodded. “I think you’re right.”

8-)  
While slogging through the swamp the four men followed the barking of Maxi. Rodney picked up the little Beagle and gave her a big kiss on the nose. “You’re my little genius!”

John, right behind him, slapped his husband on the shoulder. “She’s our genius. And tonight, she gets steak.”

“You all get steak” Daniel said loudly as they all broke through the marsh and saw the girls sitting safe, sound and very dirty under a tree. “And the best wine in the house.” Maxi barked enthusiastically. She was just as tired and muddy as her charges were.

Jack ran over to the girls and knelt down before them. “Are you all right?” e said worriedly “Are you hurt?” then he was bent over backwards by his two daughters as they threw themselves on him. Daniel arrived only a split second later to receive the same treatment. Then they all hugged Max.

John and Rodney were standing together, John holding Bella, watching the reunion. John turned to his husband, “So you want kids?”

Rodney looked at him. “You never know what will happen.”

8-{

They were a sad lot when then got back to the Barking Dog Winery. They had tramped all the way to the farm through the pasture carrying the two girls piggy-back due to their exhaustion. After getting some water into the kids, John had driven them home while Rodney bathed Bella from her tromp through the muddy water and rough ground. Jack and Daniel hadn’t really said anything to the girls, they just each held a child in their lap while Max, the other canine hero of the day sat between them on the horse blanket that was protecting the back seat of the king cab Ford Ranger.

John was thanked and he drove away to check on his husband and their dog. Jack looked at his family. “We’re about the dirtiest group I’ve seen since active duty. You girls go get your baths and I’ll take care of Max.” He indicated the very muddy Bernese Mountain Dog. “You can’t even tell what color she is.”

While Jack took her out to the back yard and turned a hose on Max Daniel went to call off the rest of the searchers. Everyone was very relieved that the girls had been found and no one was hurt other than a few blisters and scrapes.

Jack shampooed Max carefully checking her paws for any thorns or cuts, then took a towel to her now shiny black coat. She stood quietly during their efforts then headed to her bed for a much needed nap. He made sure to give her a treat and thank her properly. She promptly fell asleep with the chewy held between her paws.

The two tired men finally made it to their own bathroom and shared a quick shower, each one scrubbing and massaging the tension from their bodies and their spirits. They dressed and went down into the kitchen where Winsome Moore-Simone, caterer in the town of Southold and a dear friend of the family was setting out some food.

“Winsome? Where did you come from?”

“The kitchen silly. I heard about the hunt and I knew everyone would be hot, tired and miserable. I had this left over in the freezer from that wedding fiasco so I thought you could use it.”

Jack nodded, lifting lids and smiling remembering the runaway bride situation two weeks ago. The dinner had never been served and it was perfect for the situation. He swept her in his arms and kissed her. “Marry me?”

“Nope, I’m scared of Daniel. And besides, I’m already married.” she answered serenely.

Daniel, who had just entered the kitchen, looked shocked. “Jack? So soon in our relationship?”  
I can cook too you know.”

“Yes but you don’t have too.” Winsome smiled as she righted herself. “And I have to go home and feed my family too.” She looked at the two tired men. “Don’t be too hard on the girls, or yourselves. Things like this happen.” She picked up her purse and as she left, she called out over her shoulder, “Remember, they are O’Neills.”

“That is not an excuse.” Jack sputtered.

“No, but it is a reason.” Daniel added, then grabbed his lover and kissed him hard. “And I love you for it even if you did propose to Winsome. Polyandry can be fun.”

The two men set the table and placed the food out. Jack then headed for the girls’ room. “Hey, you two, ready to eat?”

This time, unlike this morning, the girls appeared clean and combed and ready for food. Dinner was eaten in silence and appreciated by all the weary adventurers.

After the dishes were cleaned and put away, Jack led the family into the den and they all sat down. Jack and Daniel were on the big couch and across form them the girls sat quietly on the love seat. Silence reigned for several minutes.

Daniel looked around the room. “Okay,” he said looking at the twins. “What happened today?”

Autumn spoke first. “We wanted to go to see the horses. John said we could come anytime. We asked you to take us but you said you were too busy. So I looked it up on the computer and saw it was only five miles away.”

Wynter picked up the story. “Autumn said she knew the way. She said we’d be there in an hour or so, but we got lost ‘cause the map was wrong.”

Jack looked at Daniel. “Did you tell them no?”

The younger man looked at the girls then at his lover. “Yes I did. I told them that we were too busy today to take them and we would try to go later this week.”

Jack looked at the girls. “You know that we only tell you no when there’s a good reason. You were wrong to disregard Daniel’s decision.”

Wynter looked at her twin. “I told you it was wrong.”

“Then why did you go with her?” Jack asked his daughter.

Wynter shrugged and sighed. “I wanted to go too, and I didn’t want her to go alone. And Max came too even though we told her to stay home.”

“That is Max’s job, to protect you even if you’re wrong.” Jack continued “So you looked at a map and you saw a straight line to the Flying Ferris. Did you check the topography of the land? Did you know there were cows there that could have hurt you and maybe killed Max?”

The two girls looked shocked and Autumn started to cry, but he didn’t let up.

“Did you know about the swamp? How did you get so dirty Wynter?”

“I, I fell in the water and Max came over and I pulled myself up on her.”

“What if she hadn’t come?”

“I would have drowned…maybe” she replied through sobs.

He looked at Autumn. “Why weren’t you muddy like they were?”

The older twin’s face flushed a bright scarlet. “I was going back to help but Max beat me to her. I was up the bank already.”

“And what would you have done if Wynter had drowned? Or Max?”

She was now crying like her sister. “I don’t know! I don’t know!”

Daniel couldn’t stand it and he went over to the sobbing twins, Jack fast on his heels. They swept the two girls up in their arms in a four way hug.

The younger man spoke after several minutes of quiet tears all around. “You girls have to learn there are always consequences to your actions. Today you were very very lucky that we have good friends that came to help us find you. Bella was a good tracker and we found you relatively unharmed. John told us that one of his horses had died in that swamp. It’s a very dangerous thing you did.

The two girls nodded silently.

Jack looked at his lover, took a deep breath and said quietly. “A man told us that maybe you ran away because Daniel and I aren’t fit parents for you because we’re both men. Does that bother you?”

Autumn and Wynter looked horrified at them. “No, no, no!” they cried together. We love you. We don’t want to leave you. Please don’t send us away!”

“No girls,” both Jack and Daniel reassured them. “We won’t let that happen, but you have to tell us what you want, and if we say no, you have to abide by both of our decisions. We’re responsible for you, remember that too.”

The twins exchanged looks and Wynter spoke up. “We only want one more thing, Dad”

“What’s that baby?” He answered gently.

“We want you to get married.”

“What?” Daniel said surprised at the answer. “Why?”

“John and Rodney are married. We want us all to get married too.”

“You are adopted, you know.” Jack said firmly. “You are our daughters.”

“Uncle Jack, you adopted us. Uncle Daniel couldn’t cause you aren’t married.”

Jack and Daniel looked at each other. Jack spoke in confusion. “I thought they wanted to ride horses.”

Daniel laughed and hugged the group as hard as he could. “Okay, this got way off track here. I still want to get something straight. No more runaways. Right?”

The twins spoke in unison. “No more runaways.”

Jack took his partner’s side. “Promise? Pinky Promise?” He looked at them firmly. “It’s the strongest promise I know.”

“Pinky Promise.” Again in unison

Jack and Daniel looked at each other then turned back to the girls. Jack spoke to them “Okay and as for us, we promise that someday soon” he looked at Daniel who nodded back. “Not tomorrow or next week, but soon we will all get married together. But until then we pinky promise that it is going to happen. Right Daniel?”

The younger man smiled a happy smile. “Definitely a pinky promise.” He leaned into the center of the group and put his pinky finger out. Jack wrapped his finger around his partner’s and then the two girls put their pinky fingers in too. Then they all said in unison. “Pinky Promise!”

Awakened by the noise Max came in and sat down quietly watching her family. Humans were so interesting.

8-0

The next morning Jack was headed for the tasting house when he heard the unmistakable sound of an ATV. He turned around to see his disagreeable farmer neighbor, Gibbs pulling up in the drive way.

He turned and walked towards the man who was dismounting from his machine. He could not help but notice a similarity in their builds and coloring. “Good morning, how can I help you?”

The man came right to the point for his visit. “Mr. O’Neill, my name is Jethro Gibbs. I, uh, I just wanted to find out if you found your girls.” He commented bluntly. “I was worried about them.”

Jack nodded, trying to figure the man out. “Yeah, we found them. They were still on your property just on the other side of the marsh.”

The man nodded. "That's a bad place alright." He dropped his head momentarily then looked Jack in the eye. “Look. I’m here to say I’m regretting my words to you yesterday. I have no right to judge anyone about their lifestyle. It’s none of my damned business. I was just mad about my cows and I was wrong.”

“That’s true,” jack agreed. “But I gave what you said some thought and talked to the girls. Apparently they are all right with our family situation.”

“That’s good, that’s good.” The man sighed and dropped his eyes to the ground. “You can’t be too careful with kids. It’s a bad world out there. They need protection.”

“I agree wholeheartedly with you Mr. Gibbs.” Jack agreed calmly. “John said you were prior military.”

“Yep, Recon Marine.” The other man affirmed.

“I’m prior Air Force and I’ve always been of the opinion that we military types understand each other pretty well. I know we didn’t have the best of meetings….”

“Damned cows went dry. Every one of them. May take a week for them to let their milk down again.” Gibbs groused.

“And I’m sorry for that.” Jack continued. “Is there some thing I can do, some recompense?”

“Well, I hear you make good wine here.” The other man said gruffly. “I’d like to buy some if I can.”

“Well, we’ve been told that.” Jack said “I also make beer on the side for fun.”

“No bourbon?”

He had to laugh. “Not yet, but there’s no telling what will happen around here.” Jack smiled at him. “I tell you what; let me get you some samples. Come with me.”

The two men entered the tasting room. Nicola was doing some paperwork. Jack called out to her. “We got any open cases in the back?”

“Yes, boss. There are a couple back there, including that stuff you and Daniel make.”

Jack chuckled at her statement. The Italian woman just didn’t understand good beer. He left Gibbs in the room with her and he went back and found what he was looking for. He pulled out a bottle of Serendipity and two bottles of Black Satin. Then as an after thought, he included a bottle of Legend.

Coming out of the store room he put the four bottles in a bag with the Winery Logo on it, a picture of Max standing alertly on the front porch.

“Here’s a sample for you.” Jack handed it to Gibbs. “The beer is a dark stout that goes good with stews and red meat. The wine Legend is also for red meat. Serendipity can be served with lighter foods. I hope you enjoy them.”

“Well, thanks a lot there O’Neill but I didn’t come for anything free. I can pay for this.” Gibbs looked surprised at the large gift. He knew that Legend was an expensive wine from gossip in the barbershop in town.

“No, these are on the house. If you like them, next time you can pay me.”

The two men walked back out to the ATV and Gibbs turned to O’Neill. “I’m glad your kids are okay. And thanks for this. I never expected anything. I just wanted to know about the little girls.”

“They are my nieces, well cousins actually." Jack told him. "My cousin Sean and their mother died in a car accident. I adopted them some time ago.”

“Blood is thick.” Gibbs nodded. “Thanks again.”

“Don’t break the bottles on the way home.”

“No worry there.” He stepped into the little vehicle. “You’re not what I expected O’Neill. Thanks again.” Gibbs stuck his hand out and Jack shook it firmly.

“I’ve heard that before.”

As the ATV was going down the driveway, Daniel stepped out onto the porch. “Who was that?”

“Our neighbor, Jethro Gibbs. He came by to ask after the girls. I told him they were alright.”

Daniel looked at his lover, “Did he apologize?”

“Apologies make men weak Daniel.”

The younger man chuckled, “You apologize to me all the time.”

Jack pulled him into his arms in a firm hug. “You, you make me strong.”


End file.
